A FORMER Durham schoolboy is celebrating after passing what is said to be the among hardest military training in the world.

Steven Kitching, 19, who used to go to Framwellgate Moor School, has been given the coveted Green Beret after 30 weeks of training to be a Royal Marine Commando.

During his time at the Commando training centre at Lympstone, Devon, Steven faced a 30-mile "yomp" across Dartmoor, a nine-mile speed march and completion of a tree-top assault course. Steven, who is now being posted to Arbroath, said: "Commando training is well known for its intensity. But everything we do is progressive, which enables people with all standards of fitness to achieve the final goal."